To ask you how on earth we can cool down a bit?

[TheHouseOnTheLane]

It's 40 degrees here in South Australia. I have the crappy air con on but it's a shitty one and barely touches the surface. The blinds have been down all day...we're drinking loads....what else can I do?

What's your status for water restrictions at the moment? When we were little I remember my parents would hose down the outside of our playroom occasionally when it was really hot.

Get that fan asap though, it will definitely help. Hope you can sort out what you need. In SA you'll have heaps more weather like this to come I fear. In Sydney 40 was less common but we generally had higher humidity which makes lower temperatures harder to bear.

Savoy thanks for the tip...I have been closing all windows and blinds religiously but never knew to put air con on in morning.

It's a private rental and the owner is actually lovely so I think when I tell her, she will have it looked at.

Luna yes, we're near some gorgeous beaches and are going in about an hour or so.

Python I don't think there are any restrictions in place. We've actually had quite a bit of rain too. I will get fan tomorrow!

I do keep hearing the fire siren though. There are a number of ngoing grass fires not far away.

No neither did I.

Its definitely air con you have is it? And not evaporative cooling?

Feet in a cold bucket of water normally helps.

Use a fan in front of a big bucket of ice? It does cool you a bit.

LaurieFairyCake, where in the South East are you?! It's mild for mid December, but still unpleasantly cold here: heating still on, winter duvet on the bed, I am wearing big jumpers and boots (and it's very damp).

Savoy no it's listed as air conditioning. Ducted...its the kind that can be used as heating in the winter...reverse cycle I think.

We are in france, but it was 40+ degrees, this summer.

What we did was keep the shutters shut all day - can you buy some woooden boards stand outside the wondows to absorb the worst of the sun.

If you have a loft, open the hatch to get the hot air in there.

Open all windows fisrt thing in the mnorning to get all hot air out and fill house with cool air. Do not open doors and windows at all during the day unless going in or out.

Roll up all rugs, so that you just have cool floor tiles on your bare feet.

Do you have water / public swimming pool nearby?
We spent most summer at the lake and ate evening meal (picnic) there too.

I feel your pain. I'm in central Queensland and it barely drops below 25c at midnight.

Lots of fans. Freeze wet teatowels to put on your head. Keep the house dark.

What we do:
Aircon set to 70F. Keeps the house about 24C. It's on thermostatic control, so just clicks in when it gets too hot. Never switched off (tho it hasn't come on for the past 2 weeks Yippee [santa].
Curtains on the bright side of the house kept shut. Curtains in the shady side if the house open.
All doors open internally, except for the door leading to front door and laundry.
Wear minimal, loose, cotton clothing. Tee-shirts, while cotton, are warm. I'm living in linen bottoms and gypsy/peasant style tops.
Keep drinking.
Sounds odd, but go outside for a bit. When you come back in, if the house is cooler than outside, it feels lovely!!!

Our system is also the heating/aircon ducted thingy. When DH first got here, he had to have the whole thing overhauled, as it couldn't control the temp. I would struggle to tell you which ducts are in and which are out. Flow of air might not be indicative of what the system is capable of.

Also, while it won't help now, you will get used to it. I did a double take a few weeks ago when thinking "oh, this is a pleasant temperature" and then realising it was 36C

Have you tried drinking/eating something hot?
I can't remember where I read/heard this but apparently your body will work to cool itself down.
By trying to keep cool with air conditioning or ice cold drinks etc, your body will be trying to 'heat' itself back up again.

Desert thanks but the aircon must be a very old, basic thing as there's no temp control. It just says warm or cool on a sliding scale.

Quiet yes, had curry last night and do drink tea and coffee...sometimes I go outside so when I come in I can feel the difference.

We're going to the beach soon. Should be cooler there.

Definitely put your aircon on early in the morning. It will use more power trying to cool down a hot house than it will if you keep it at a steady temperature all day.

A bowl of water in front of a fan next to you is a great makeshift airconditioner.

If you want to spend some time outdoors (and not on water restrictions), put a sprinkler on the roof of your patio and it will cool the area down (I do this in my dog kennels, it then goes back in to the tank and it recirculates, so I'm not wasting actually wasting much water by doing this).

Go the bottle shop and spend some time browsing beers in their walk-in fridge.

We've spent most of the afternoon in the pool (Victoria here, so not as hot as you yet). Got a scorcher coming up this weekend though.

I'v got a mates birthday on Sat and it's 43 or something ridiculous! We're going to a little, spit and sawdust restaurant which is v trendy but has no air con!

I might go in the nude. Can't THINK what to wear that won't look awful or be hot!

Do you mean hot or hawt? :o

Take one of these:

www.bunnings.com.au/ryobi-one-18v-hybrid-portable-fan-skin-only_p6210576

Cold flannels under your boobs,

put your water bottle in the freezer (not full) and then you will have a lovely ice cold drink as the ice melts back into water

Air con is essential, unfortunately...

wet your hair/head

our Ducted air con needs a small draft, so I leave the front door open with the screen closed.

put water in the bath for the littlies to play in (as long as they aren't really little)

I only run the aircon between 11am and 8pm. I just use the fans if I'm hot.
If the dogs are not count then it will go on earlier.

I hate heat and we went to Mauritius a few years ago so to cope there were a few things I did - loose flowy cotton clothing and cotton underwear - none wired bras etc, water in front of fans is good as are iced bottles, keep everything in the shade ALL the time - air the rooms when outside is cooler - yes re aircon on to maintain cool, its more efficient overall, SLow down during the day - take a siesta - do any hard work early or late. Have a personal hand fan, create drafts and airflow where you can

Put a flannel in ice water, wring it out and wear it across the back of your neck - for some reason, cooling down your wrists and the back of your neck really help keep the rest of you cool.

A fan also makes a huge difference, even without a wet towel/ice in front of it.

I still envy you, though - I was working away in the summer, where it was between 46 and 48, and I thought I had died and gone to heaven!

If you have AC then use it! I live in a country where it is 50 degrees for three months of the year. Our electricity bills are around 600 quid a month....but what to do? It's insufferable to be that hot.

I feel your pain - we went on hols in the summer and were in a tent and it was 42 in the shade. We gave up and drove to the city and rented a hotel room with air con just to cool down..

Badger I don't think we could pay it! We've only been here 3 months and my job doesn't begin until Jan. DH has his job of course but I'm only making peanuts as a freelancer at the moment.

I'm bloody putting it on tomorrow though! I'll go to debtors prison before I boil again!

Echt I don't think I'll ever look Hawt in the nude again now I'm in my 40s

If waters not too scarce, spraying paved surfaces outside can help a lot. The evaporation of the water absorbs heat - cooling the air - which can be drawn into the house.

Also fountains help keep the air cool - trick from the ancients there.

Get your electricity onto instalments NOW! We pay $50 a fortnight, and it is a good send at this time of year!